How traditional Chinese medicine cures common cold

The common cold is a disorder with nasal obstruction and discharge, sneezing, headache, cough, fever, chilliness and malaise as its chief manifestations. It usually occurs in winter and spring, but may also be seen throughout the year. Influenza is also grouped under this category in traditional Chinese medicine and treated according to the principles mentioned below.

Etiology and Pathogenesis
This disease is mainly due to the invasion of exogenous wind and usually occurs during a sudden change of weather with unexpected cold or warmth. Inappropriate clothing, being drenched by rain and fatigue may decrease one's body resistance and predispose one to catch a cold. The pathogenic factors usually are different in the four seasons. For example, wind-cold is the factor in winter, wind-heat in spring, association with summer-heat and dampness in summer, with dryness in autumn and with dampness in the rainy season. Hence, according to the variations of the climate, the pathogenic factor and the patient's constitution, the disease may be manifested as a wind-heat syndrome or a disorder associated with summer-heat or a dampness syndrome, which may change or complicate each other during the course of this disease. However, no matter what kinds of pathogenic factors are involved, they impair the descending and dispersing functions of the lungs, leading to the blockage of the sweat pores. In the case of a malady caused by seasonal pestilence, such as influenza, the general symptoms are remarkable and severe and may be complicated by other diseases.

Syndrome Differentiation and Therapeutic Principles
A. Syndrome differentiation
(a) When the pathogenic factor is located in the lungs and body superficies, the disorder is usually attributed to superficies-sthenia syndrome.
(b) To identify the nature of pathogenic factors, so as to distinguish the wind-cold syndrome, wind-heat syndrome, and complication of summer-heat syndrome and dampness syndrome.

B. Therapeutic principles
Eliminating wind, releasing stagnated lung-qi and expelling superficial evils are the main therapeutic principles.

Classification and Treatment
A. Wind-cold syndrome
Manifestations: Severe chilliness with mild fever, anhidrosis, headache, soreness and pain of the limbs, nasal obstruction or discharge, itching of the throat, cough with thin sputum, no thirst or thirst with desire for hot drink, thin-white and moist tongue coating and superficial or superficial-tense pulse.

Therapeutic principles: Expel superficial evil with drugs of acrid taste and warm nature, release the stagnated lung-qi, and dispel cold.

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Prescription:
(1) The Modified Decoction of Allii Fistulosi and Sojae Praeparatum for mild cases
Bulbus Allii Fistulosi 5 pcs
Semen Sojae Praeparatum 10 g
Herba Schizonepetae (Jingjie)  10 g
Radix Saposhnikoviae (Fangfeng)  9 g
Folium Perillae (Zisuye)  10 g
Semen Armeniacae Amarum 10 g

(2) The Modified Antiphlogistic Powder of Schizonepetae and Ledebouriellae for serious cases
Herba Schizonepetae (Jingjie) 10 g
Radix Saposhnikoviae (Fangfeng) 10 g
Rhizoma Zingiberis Recens 3 pcs
Herba Menthae (decocted later) 6-10 g
Chuanxiong (Rhizoma Chuanxiong) 9 g
Radix Platycodi (Jiegeng)  9 g
Radix Bupleuri (Chaihu)  10 g
Radix Peucedani (Qianhu)  10 g
Rhizoma et Radix Notopterygii (Qianghuo) 10 g

Remarks: For cases with severe cold in superficies, add Herba Ephedrae and Ramulus Cinnamomi. For cases of wind-cold syndrome complicated by dampness syndrome add Cortex Magnoliae Officinalis, Pericarpium Citri Reticulatae, Rhizoma Pinelliae and Rhizoma Atractylodis.

B. Wind-Heat syndrome
Manifestations: High fever with mild chilliness, nasal obstruction, sweating, distending pain over the head, congestion of the throat, sore throat, cough with thick or yellow sputum, thirst, thin-yellow tongue coating and superficial and rapid pulse.
Therapeutic principles: Expel superficial evil with drugs of acrid taste and cool nature, release the stagnated lung-qi, and clear away heat.
Prescription: The Modified Powder of Forsythiae and Lonicerae

Flos Lonicerae (Jinyinhua)  12 g
Fructus Forsythiae (Lianqiao)  12 g
Radix Peucedani (Qianhu) 10 g
Fructus Arctii (Niubangzi)  10 g
Herba Schizonepetae (Jingjie) 6-10 g
Herba Menthae (decocted later) 6-10 g
Radix Glycyrrhizae (Gancao) 6 g
Rhizoma Phragmitis (Lugen) 10-30 g
Herba Lophatheri (Danzhuye) 9 g
Radix Peucedani (Qianhu) 10 g